Aeroplane



Feb. 23, 1937- H. ANATHOR-HENRIKSON 2,071,744

AEROPLANE Filed June 5, 1934 4 Sheet$ Sheet 1 AT ORNEY Feb. 23, 1937. H.ANATHOR-HENRIKSON 2,071,744

AEROPLANE Filed June 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Feb. 23, 1937. H.ANATHOR-HENRIKSON 2,071,744

AEROPLANE Filed June 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v MM AT TO R N EYE,

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 imaormivn Henrik Anathor-Hem'lkson, West annewoodN application June 5,1934, Serial No. 729,083 9 Claims. (01. 244-23) Thepresent invention relates to aeroplanes and embodies, more specifically.an improved aeroplane construction by means of which the hoveringability of the plane may be greatly increased over existingtypes ofconstructions. More particularly, the invention embodies mechanism by ameans of which vertical movements of the plane may be greatlyfacilitated. a

Heretofore mechanism has been provided by means of which the hoveringand vertical movement of planes may be facilitated, this existing fformbf mechanism embodying mechanical devices such as'propellers lying inhorizontal planes, etc., and the functioning of these mechanisms notonly is less effective than if designed for a plane which is notdesigned primarily for horizontal travel but the resulting structure isfrequently such as to add great weight to the plane and seriously impairits speed of travel in horizontal directions. Moreover, such existingmechanisms are rather inefficient in operation.

Anobject of the invention, accordingly, is to provide a means by whichan aeroplane of the usual form, designed for fast horizontal travel maybe manoeuvred vertically with facility.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with theusual aeroplane mechanism for horizontal travel a means for manoeuvringthe plane vertically, the means employing portions of the plane whichare necessary for horizontal travel. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter wherein the means for facilitating vertical movement of theplane is comparatively inexpensive and of little weight and does notimpair the efiiciency of the plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the abovecharacter wherein means is incorporated for utilizing the usual wings ofthe aeroplane as a barrier upon opposite sides of which regions of highand low pressure may be I created to facilitate the hovering andvertical -manoeuvres of the plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter wherein means is provided for discharging the exhaust gases ofthe plane through the wing areas to effect heating of the wingsand thuspreventing an accumulation of ice and snow.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with ameans of the above character, a structure such as to create vorticesabove and below the wing structure of a plane to increase the verticalmanoeuvring ability thereof.

, Further objects, not specifically enumerated above, will be apparentas the invention is described in greater detail in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away and in section showing anaeroplane constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section, taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view in section, taken on line 3-3 of Figure l, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail plan view showing the fan mechanism of Figure 3. a

Figure 515 an enlarged detail view of a wing of an aeroplane constructedin accordance with the present invention, showing a modified formthereof, this view showing the apertures in the arrows.

Figure 8 is a view in section, taken on line 8-8 of Figure 5, andlooking in the direction of the arrows. I Figure 9 is a plan viewshowing the hull and tail structure of an aeroplane constructed inaccordance with the present invention, provided with means by which iceand snow may be prevented from accumulating on the ailerons andassociated structure.

Figure 10 is a view in section, taken on line Ill-I of Figure 9, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 11 is a view in section, taken on line I l-ll of Figure 9, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 12-is a segmental view showing the form vof one of the aperturesshown in Figures and 6.

I Figure 13 is a view in section, taken on line l3l3 of Figure 12, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

The present invention is a continuation in part of applicants copendingapplication Ser. No. 705,089, filed January 3, 1934, and incorporatescertain additional features which will be described hereinafter.

In the construction shown in Figures l through 4, l indicates the hullof an aeroplane provided with wings 2 upon the opposite sides thereof.The

upper surfaces of wings 2 are formed with apertures 3 which communicatewith ducts 4, extending longitudinally of the wings. The ducts 4 areformed by angularly disposed partition members 3 and communicating withthe suction chambers 5 of impellers 6 located in the fuselage of theplane.

The impellers 6 may be driven from a power shaft through suitable gearconnections I and are provided with pressure or discharge chambers 9which communicate with pressure ducts l formed between the partitionmembers 3' and communicating with apertures ll, formed in the undersidesof the wings 2. Control valves or dampers l 2 may be provided tofacilitate the control of the flow of air through the respective ductsand, in operation, the fans or impellers 6 are driven to draw air inthrough the apertures 3 and create a suction of the upper sides of thewings 2, the air being discharged through the apertures l I to create aregion of relatively high pressure beneath the wings, thus exerting anappreciable lifting force thereon.

In the construction shown in Figures through 8, certain of the openingsI 3 in the upper surface of the wings 2 are positioned in such fashionas to form an Archimedean spiral around the center of gravity H of therespective wings. On one side of a longitudinal line passing through thecenter of gravity of the wing, inlet ports or openings l5 are formed allextending in one direction. On the other side of this longitudinal lineopenings or ports l6 are formed, all extending in a common direction.The direction or planes in which the openings l5 and i6 lie intersectapproximately in the longitudinal line above referred to and form acuteangles which, with the longitudinal line, form a plurality of Ys, asviewed from the fuselage of the machine. As a result, the flow of airinto the wing is such as to form a vortex about the center of gravity ofthe wing and thus, by reason of the whirling motion of the air, thesuction created is substantially increased.

On the underside of the wing, as viewed in Figure 7, openings l1 and I8are formed in the wing on the outer end thereof with respect to thecenter of gravity of the wing. On the underside of the center of gravityof the wing, openings l9 and 20 are formed, these openings lying inplanes which form acute angles with a longitudinal line passing throughthe center of gravity of the wing, the planes in which the openings i9and 20 lie, together with the longitudinal center line of the wingforming Y's, as viewed from the end of the wing. About the center ofgravity Id of the wings are formed openings 2! which are arranged in theform of an Archimedean spiral and thus cause air to be directed from thewing with a whirling motion. The direction and manner in which air isdirected from the openings l1, l8, l9 and 20 is such as to cause the airstreams from the openings to converge in the region of the spiral. Bycreating a vortex or whirling column of air directed downwardly from thewing below the center of gravity thereof and bycausi'ng the confluenceof the aforementioned air streams to coincide with this whirling column,the pressure effect created beneath the wing is greatly increased.

As' shown in Figures 12 and 13, the inner sides of the wings areformedwith deflectors 22 which direct the air streams through the respectiveopenings in a desired manner. Obviously, the form and arrangement ofthese openings should follow the best engineering practice in order toutilize the full efficiency of the air flow upon oppositesides of thewings and the particular arrangement shown in the drawings is notnecessarily illustrative of the most effective arrangement.

In order that the accumulation of ice and snow on the wings may beavoided, the exhaust from the engine is directed from the exhaust pipethrough an extension pipe line 23 and discharged through outlet 24 whichdirects the exhaust through the discharge ducts II). In this fashion,

the surfaces of the wings are heated and any such accumulation preventedor destroyed.

In the construction shown in Figures 9, l0, and 11, discharge ducts 25communicate with the pressure side of the impellers 6 and direct airrearwardly into outlet manifolds 26 which are formed with nozzles 21which direct the air rearwardly over the control fins 28. In thisfashion, the control fins may be turned upon their horizontal axes andthe air is directed upon either side thereof to facilitate the controlof the machine.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is not to be limited, save as defined in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, and ducts and apertures formed in the said means, theapertures and ducts being spirally oriented to create a region above thesurface of rarefied air having a whirling motion.

2. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, and ducts and apertures formed in the said means, theapertures and ducts being spirally oriented to create a region above thesurface of rarefied air having a whirling motion, about an axis passingthrough the center of gravity of the surface.

3. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, spirally oriented ducts and apertures formed in the uppersurface of said means to create a region above the surface of rarefiedair having a whirling motion, and spirally oriented ducts and aperturesformed in the upper surface of said means to create fiow of air aboveand toward the surface at angles to a line perpendicular to the normaldirection of travel.

4. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, spirally oriented ducts and apertures formed in the uppersurface of said means to create a region above the surface of rarefiedair having a whirling motion about an axis passing through the center ofgravity of the surface, and spirally oriented ducts and apertures formedin the upper surface of said means to create flow of air above andtoward the surface at angles to a line perpendicular to the normaldirection of travel and passing through the center of gravity of thesurface.

5. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, and ducts and apertures formed in the said means, theapertures and ducts being spirally oriented to create an air pressureregion below the surface having a whirling motion.

6. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, and ducts and apertures formed in the said means, theapertures and ducts being spirally oriented to create an air pressureregion below the surface having a whirling motion about an axis passingthrough the center of gravity of the surface.

'7. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, spirally orientedducts and apertures formed in the uppersurface of'said means to create an air pressure region below the surfacehaving a whirling motion, and spirally oriented ducts and aperturesformed in the uppersurface of said means to create fiow of air beneathand away from the surface in a plurality of converging paths.

8. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal n'travel, spirally oriented ducts and apertures formed in theupper surface of said means to create an air pressure region below thesurface having a whirling motion, and spirally oriented ducts andaperturesformed. in the upper surface of said means to create a-flow ofair beneath and away from the surface in a plurality of paths convergingabout the axis of the whirling air.

9. An aeroplane having means forming an air deflecting surface fornormal travel, spirally oriented ducts and apertures formed in theuppersurface of said means to create an air pressure region below the surfacehaving a whirling motion, and spirally oriented ducts and aperturesformed in the upper surface of said means to craate flow of air beneathand away from the surface in a plurality of converging paths on eachside of a line perpendicular to the direction of travel of the aeroplaneand passing through

